March 12, 2005

• Taxpayers will have to spend to lure FL. NASCAR HOF: Local taxpayers will likely provide seed money for the city's efforts to lure the NASCAR hall of fame here.  But state and corporate money will be counted on to carry the project across the finish line.  City commissioners will consider putting up $20,000 on Wednesday toward the estimated $200,000 cost of preparing a proposal to build the attraction for stock-car racing greats. "We're going to have to put money in to get the proposal together," City Manager Jim Chisholm said this week.  City officials also want $25,000 from Volusia County and $20,000 from taxes collected by the Halifax Area Advertising Authority on hotel rentals. The authority so far has approved $10,000 of that amount.  (News-Journal)

• Gordon Turned down Mexico Race, Wants to see NASCAR Canadian Oval: Some NASCAR Cup team sponsors, particularly those with corporate ties in Mexico, are interested in sponsoring their teams in the Mexico City race. DuPont was reported to be willing to sponsor Jeff Gordon in a Mexico City Busch car, but Gordon declined. Gordon, though, says he's looking forward to Montreal: "I'm a big fan of Formula One, so I know the course. I'd love to see us in Canada.  "Staying in North America is extremely important. Canada seems like the next natural place for us to go. Obviously Mexico went well for the Busch cars; that might be a good option (for a Cup race) as well. But I want to see us on an oval. I don't want to see us on a road course in Canada. We can put on such a better show for the fans. And I know there are a lot of fans in Canada who follow NASCAR. I wish we had an oval track up there. "If we're going to go there, we need to start that process." (Winston-Salem)

• NASCAR to Franchise? Ganassi hopes so: Last winter, some of the larger teams approached NASCAR with the idea of becoming franchises within the organization. As it stands now, teams are independent operators that have no financial share of NASCAR. Franchising would give the teams a monetary book value they now lack. But Ganassi, who owns 10 cars in four series (Nextel Cup, Busch, IRL, GASC) says the value is there. "Sponsorships, physical plants, equipment, contracts all mean something," Ganassi said. "Racing operations all have the challenges of traditional sports teams – payrolls, competition and the demands to be successful to win support. "But there are also some major differences. There's no players union in racing (nor are there pension plans). We don't have home courts. In your traditional sports, half the teams will win every day. We're like golf in that respect. All our stars are always in one place, with one winner. "But every racing team is part of the pie, just like the Pirates and Cubs are part of the National League." With the difference that racing teams are not officially part of the organization. (More at Union-Tribune)

• Wallace Wins Poker Tourney: The leading NASCAR driver Kenny Wallace seems to be successful both in motor sports and poker. Performing his aggressive style of competition Wallace managed to win the Mobil High-Endurance Poker Challenge at the Golden Nugget casino on Thursday night.  Top eight sportsman in list of the best NASCAR Busch Series Drivers grabbed $50,000 and donated the lumpsum to the Autism Society of America.  "It's pretty incredible to win $50,000 in Vegas playing poker," Wallace said to Motorsport.com. "Then to turn around and give it to the Autism Society of America just gives me goose bumps." (Motorsport.com)

• NASCAR No Action against Gordon or Parrott: NASCAR officials said Friday they will not punish Robby Gordon or crew chief Brad Parrott for their physical confrontation last weekend in Mexico City.  They had to be separated before Sunday’s race after a heated discussion about qualifying. Gordon qualified second for the race, but was sent to the back of the field after changing engines.  Carl Edwards wrecked his primary car, moved to a backup, and changed engines in it without forfeiting his qualifying position. Parrott is Edwards’ crew chief, and didn’t appreciate Gordon complaining to NASCAR officials about the lack of a penalty for his driver.  Witnesses have said Parrott kneed Gordon in the groin, and Gordon grabbed Parrott by the neck before they were separated. (The State)

• NASCAR Likely to Keep Rules Package: NASCAR said on Friday that it would probably leave the current rules package in place for the remainder of the 2005 season.  This weekend's UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 is the third race under the new rules, which included sweeping changes to tires (softer), gears (shorter), spoiler size (smaller) and pit road speeds (stricter enforcement).  Las Vegas' 1.5-mile oval is just the second non-restrictor-plate event of the year, but most Nextel Cup teams already have a thousand miles of data concerning the new rules.  Put together, the rules have created cars that are much looser than in years past, and drivers who can adapt to that hang-onto-the-car style are the ones that have succeeded in early downforce tests.  NASCAR Vice President of Competition Robin Pemberton said he likes the current package and will try to use it all season. (NASCAR)

• Speedway Charity Raising Money nearly $180,000: The Las Vegas Chapter of Speedway Children’s Charities annual NASCAR Driver Auction raised $180,000 for the children of Las Vegas and southern Nevada last night at Sam’s Town Live!, inside Sam’s Town Hotel & Gambling Hall.  NASCAR drivers Kevin Harvick, Scott Wimmer, Kyle Petty, David Green, Stacy Compton, Clint Bowyer, Jon Wood, Ashton Lewis, Jason Keller, Randy LaJoie, Shane Hmiel, Paul Menard, Reed Sorenson, Kevin Lepage, Brent Sherman, Kim Crosby, Brendan Gaughan, NFL Hall of Fame QB Jim Kelly and Mickey Jones of the Home Improvement television show participated in the fundraiser. NASCAR driver and hometown hero Brendan Gaughan signed autographs during the first hour while the Randy Anderson Band entertained attendees. This year’s event also marked the return of world-famous auto auctioneer Brent Earlywine to the podium and gavel. (WhoWon)

• Harvick Time Disallowed: Kevin Harvick became the first driver penalized under a new rule that states that teams must qualify with a full tank of gas.  The new rule prevents teams from employing the old practice of using just a few gallons to qualify. The rule was stamped on official race entry blanks for the 2005 season.  Harvick qualified fourth on Friday at Las Vegas, but his time was nullified after NASCAR officials found his car to hold just 18 gallons of gas -- short of the 22 required.  NASCAR checks the fuel cell both before and after qualifying. (NASCAR)

March 11, 2005

• Another Division of NASCAR in China? NASCAR went to Japan in 1996-98 for exhibition races. Helton said it was not an "experiment." He said NASCAR went there all along with the thought it was a temporary exhibition series to showcase NASCAR. Don't underestimate NASCAR's "international" plan now, even though it now is modest. NASCAR just got back from its first crack at Mexico, with a successful Busch Series race that is a tier below its premiere Nextel Cup Series. While NASCAR's international plan probably won't include Nextel Cup races in China, or anywhere outside of North America, it could mean the creation in the future of a China NASCAR series, similar to Mexico's Desafio Corona and Canada's CASCAR. Both national series are supported by NASCAR and operate using rules, guidelines and business plans similar to NASCAR. The Desafio Corona, in its second season, already is the top national series in Mexico. With Formula One struggling, NASCAR sees an opening. Other countries already targeted as possibilities to be added to NASCAR's growing empire include Germany, United Kingdom, Brazil and a return to Japan. France said racing is second only to soccer in worldwide sports popularity. France would just like to see those fans prefer racing "NASCAR style." Someday, he might. (ThatsRacin/Miami Herald)

• Frances in Forbes Billionaire List: Brothers Bill and Jim France clocked in 507th with $1.3 billion each, up from $1.2 billion in last year's list. The France family owns NASCAR and are major holders of stock in International Speedway Corp., all based in Daytona Beach. (News-Journal)

• GA NASCAR Tags:  Georgia's interstates have long resembled the Daytona 500. State lawmakers are trying to make it official, giving the green light Thursday to NASCAR-themed license plates for Georgia motorists.  Sen. Chip Rogers (R-Woodstock) said a constituent driving through Mississippi noticed a Dale Earnhardt tag there and asked him to bring them to Georgia. Senate Bill 168 would allow Georgians to choose from about 40 plates featuring drivers, including the late champion Earnhardt and racing legend Richard Petty.  If the House agrees, the plates would cost $25 and be available beginning in January.  Passage in the House shouldn't be a problem: It approved a resolution Thursday making every April 29 Dale Earnhardt Day in Georgia.  Before approving the plate, some senators jokingly concocted an amendment to exclude a certain No. 24 from the selection. That would be the highly successful, love-him-or-hate-him driver Jeff Gordon.  When asked why he'd singled out Gordon, Sen. Preston Smith (R-Rome) kidded: "I'd like to say no comment. I may quickly foreclose any political future I have. I sort of like my state Senate tag." (Atlanta Journal Constitution)

• Teresa Earnhardt Lifetime Achievement Award: The Greater Charlotte Chapter of the International Special Events Society (ISES) is holding its annual Events in Excellence Awards (EVIES) Saturday, March 19, 2005 at The Extravaganza Depot located at 1610 N. Tryon St. This year's EVIE Awards will transform the Extravaganza Depot into a sultry, sizzling, sexy night in Havana complete with Conga line, Salsa dancing, live Latin rhythms, and electrifying color. It’s going to be the Tropicana live all night long as we celebrate the best special events produced in North and South Carolina. (DEI PR)

• Celebrations for Vegas and NASCAR: The city of Las Vegas is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year and NASCAR will celebrate a 50-year anniversary there. On Oct. 16, 1955, a 200-mile event, the 43rd race on the NASCAR schedule, was held at the Las Vegas Park Speedway. The track was originally built as a horse racing facility. Only three motorsports events were held at the mile-long dirt track before the Las Vegas Hilton was built on the site. (Herald Tribune Notes)

• Virginia's Hall of Fame Bid: Virginians Racing for the Hall of Fame, the nonprofit group formed to help Henrico County's Economic Development Authority in its bid for a proposed NASCAR Hall of Fame, held a public relations subcommittee meeting Wednesday at RIR that drew local leaders in tourism, business and marketing. An international consulting firm with hall of fame experience and two renowned construction firms specializing in museum design have been commissioned to help with the project. Richmond is competing against several cities for the hall. The NASCAR deadline for bids is May 31 (Times Dispatch)

• Fatback Calling the Race from Home Again: Crew chief Michael "Fatback" McSwain will call the shots on Ricky Rudd's No. 21 Ford from his Mooresville, N.C., home for the second consecutive race. McSwain still is recovering from back surgery two weeks ago and might not be ready for next week's event at Atlanta Motor Speedway. He will monitor Sunday's race at Las Vegas and communicate in real time through telecommunications technology provided by Nextel, Racing Radios and NASCAR.com.(Times Dispatch)

• NASCAR Paying BIG Bucks for Lobbying in NYC: Guy Molinari's biggest lobbying payday is coming from the Florida-based International Speedway Corporation, which is seeking to build a NASCAR raceway on a huge 660-acre swath of property beneath the Goethals Bridge. Reports show that the company has signed a three-year consulting contract with the former borough president, agreeing to pay him up to $540,000 at a rate of $15,000 per month. Although Molinari partner John D'Amato is also working for the company, contract language makes it clear that it's Molinari they want: The deal is void if the former borough president leaves the firm.   Molinari said the contract's unusual length wasn't his idea. "It was their estimation it would take three years before they get all their approvals."  Molinari inked his deal with the company last May and brought his new client straight to City Hall to meet with the mayor. "I contacted somebody in the mayor's office asking for the meeting, like we do with all elected officials," said Molinari. In addition to Bloomberg, Deputy Mayor Daniel Doctoroff attended, as did Economic Development Corporation president Andrew Alper. On Molinari's side of the table were the speedway operators, along with their local partner, Related Companies, which is seeking to build a giant mall alongside the track. Steve Ross, chairman of Related and a close friend of Doctoroff, was among those attending, said Molinari.  (Village Voice)

• Vegas Opens Track for Street Racers: There'll be NASCAR racing at the Las Vegas Speedway this weekend. But after the crowds head home, Speedway officials plan to expand a community program letting local street racers compete in a controlled environment. The speedway plans to add Thursdays to regular Friday night Midnight Mayhem races starting March 17th. That's after several recent crashes that have left street racers dead or injured in and around Las Vegas. (KRNV/NBC)

• NASCAR & Duracell, Earnhardt Jr Lights:  Duracell announced the introduction of several new product offerings to expand its lighting line. Beginning in March, two new flashlights, including the first Duracell/NASCAR branded flashlight, will be introduced. The new products reflect Duracell's commitment to designing flashlights that meet the lifestyle needs and interests of consumers. "Following the successful launch of our lighting line last year, we will continue to build our portfolio with flashlights that benefit and interest consumers," said Dan McCarthy, business director, specialty products, Duracell. "With our new and exclusive offerings, like the Dale Earnhardt Jr. NASCAR flashlight, we're providing high quality, dependable flashlights that meet consumers' needs in any situation."  • Dale Earnhardt Jr. Focus Grip Max Flashlight — With 83% of NASCAR fans asking for more licensed products at retail, the new Dale Earnhardt Jr. Focus Grip Max flashlight is sure to be handy both trackside and at home. Earnhardt Jr., a member of the Gillette Young Guns race team, enters 2005 as the most popular driver on the circuit. The new NASCAR themed Duracell Focus Grip Max flashlight features a sleek red and black race design emblazoned with Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s car number and signature. Like other Duracell Focus Grip Max flashlights, the Dale Earnhardt Jr. flashlight will have an ergonomic, rubberized grip and adjustable light beam that easily shifts from spot to flood mode. It will also be bundled with Duracell alkaline batteries, which last four times longer than those marked "heavy duty." The Dale Earnhardt Jr. flashlight will have a suggested retail price of $8.99-10.99. (Retail Merchandiser)

• Mears and American Welding Society: The AWS Welding Show 2005 at the Dallas Convention Center will include the inauguration of the society's new president, Dr. Damian Kotecki, Technical Director for Stainless & High Alloy Development of The Lincoln Electric Company. As a proud sponsor of Casey Mears and the entire Chip Ganassi NASCAR Team, Lincoln Electric is celebrating 110 years in the business of providing products and services to industry.  Following AWS opening ceremonies, Mears will also be available to meet show attendees and sign autographs for fans at a special Lincoln Electric booth displaying his Nextel Cup car.  Lincoln Electric provides welding and cutting support for about half the racing teams currently on the NASCAR circuit. Lincoln Electric is the world leader in the design, development and manufacture of arc welding products, robotic arc-welding systems, plasma and oxyfuel cutting equipment.  Mears, descended from a legacy of Indy and off-road racers, proved throughout the 2004 season at age 26 that NASCAR is where he belongs. His season-long strong performance gave his team its first top-five finish at Watkins Glen International in only its third full season of NASCAR competition.

  (AWS PR)

• More Spencer, Triple at Bristol: Veteran Jimmy Spencer will drive the #50 Dodge owned by Arnold Motorsports at the upcoming Atlanta and Bristol events in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series. Arnold Motorsports has acquired sponsorship from U.S. Micro Corporation, based in Atlanta, for these two events.  U.S. Micro Corporation sponsored the #50 Arnold Motorsports entry at the fall Atlanta race in 2004 and is excited to rejoin the team this year with "Mr. Excitement" behind the wheel.  One of the nation's leading corporate IT asset management companies, U.S.  Micro will remain the "official computer provider" for Arnold Motorsports.  U.S. Micro's team sponsorship began in 2004, and the company will become the  primary sponsor of the #50 Dodge for at least two NASCAR Nextel Cup events  this year. (PRNewswire)

• Ky. Busch Robot Scheme: Coinciding with the March 11 launch of the movie "Robots" presented by 20th Century Fox, Kellogg's will trade in the No. 5 Chevrolet's traditional paint scheme for a nuts-and-bolts Robots-themed design for Sunday's NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series event at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. In addition, Kyle Busch will jump into the driver's seat this week, but with a different agenda than he's used to. The 19-year-old NEXTEL Cup rookie will stop by Spring Valley High School in his hometown of Las Vegas to educate students on safe driving. Busch graduated one year early from nearby Durango High in 2002. (Hendrick PR)

• Drivers Added to Roster of Drive for Diversity: The Drive for Diversity(SM) program announced today that NASCAR driver Michael Gallegos has been added to the program's 2005 roster, competing for Innovative Motorsports in the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series (NDWS) this season. Gallegos, a native of WheatRidge, Colo., will race the No. 48 Chevrolet Late Model Stock Car at Caraway Speedway in Asheboro, N.C. this year. In 2004, Gallegos had three solid showings in the NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division competing in two events at Colorado National Speedway (Erie, Colo.) and one at Pikes Peak International Raceway (Fountain, Colo.).  "IMI is committed to its involvement with the Drive for Diversity(SM) initiative and is extremely excited to be working with Mike Gallegos," said George de Bidart, team owner of Innovative Motorsports. "He is a well rounded young man and has all the attributes necessary to make NASCAR, the sponsors and team all proud to be associated with him in the development stage of his career."  (Yahoo!) In addition Williams Added: The Drive for Diversity(SM) program announced today that NASCAR driver Terri Williams has been added to the program's 2005 roster, competing in the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series (NDWS) this season for SCORE Motorsports, co-owned by NASCAR veteran Hermie Sadler and former NBA player Bryant Stith. Williams, who hails from Emporia, Va., will race NDWS events at South Boston Speedway in South Boston, Va. where she will pilot the No. 02 Chevrolet Late Model Stock Car. Williams was South Boston Speedway's Grand Stock Division Champion in 2004, posting three wins and eight top-five finishes in 10 races. "I am excited to be selected as a member of the Drive for Diversity team for 2005," said Williams. "I hope in some way this will help pave the way for other diverse drivers of the future." (Hispanic Business)

• More NASCAR Hiring, USC Official Joins NASCAR: Kerry Tharp, associate athletic director for media relations and sports information at the University of South Carolina, is expected to become manager of public relations for NASCAR's Charlotte office. His decision comes less than two months after USC Athletic Director Mike McGee announced his retirement. "The opportunity came out of the blue," Tharp told The (Rock Hill) Herald. "A guy who was a college classmate of mine asked me if I was interested in a position they were creating up there."  That classmate, Mark Dyer, is vice president of NASCAR's Charlotte office. A NASCAR spokesman says Tharp hasn't been hired yet, although the two parties have had conversations about Tharp joining the company. (Biz Journal)

• Vickers Testing: GMAC Racing is scheduled to test at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway on Tuesday, March 15. The team already has completed tests at California, Daytona and Las Vegas this season. In addition, The No. 25 team will field a brand new GMAC/ditech.com Chevrolet for this weekend's 400-miler at Las Vegas. Hendrick Motorsports Chassis No. 333 will make its first-ever laps during Friday morning's NEXTEL Cup practice session. (Hendrick PR)

• Charlotte to Make Official Bid for HOF: City leaders are planning a major public announcement next week about Charlotte's bid for the NASCAR Hall of Fame.  The results of Charlotte's competition with six other locations could determine the future of the racing industry here, said board members of the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority, which met Wednesday morning.  They worried that NASCAR-related companies as well as the sport's annual all-star race might move if the hall of fame goes elsewhere. "Not only do we have a lot to win, we have a lot to lose," said board Chairman Luther Cochrane.  But many crucial details remain unclear, including the location, size, cost and potential public funding for the sport's showpiece. Only some of that information will be known by next week, said authority CEO Tim Newman. He and local business leaders are working on the project. (Charlotte Observer)

• Hmiel to run all three at AMS: Before last week, Shane Hmiel was just driving in the NASCAR Busch Series. But during Wednesday’s test at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Hmiel was preparing to run all three races during next weekend’s Golden Corral 500 weekend. Hmiel will start the weekend in the World Financial Group 200 Craftsman Truck race on Friday (March 18), then compete in the Aaron’s 312 Busch race on Saturday (March 19) and finish up with the Golden Corral 500 on Sunday (March 20).  Hmiel was testing his NEXTEL Cup car on Wednesday and turning the fastest laps of 2005, as he circled the 1.54-mile fast track in 29.26 seconds (189.424 mph).  (AMS PR)

• Top 6 Speeds: #08 Shane Hmiel, NEXTEL Cup, 189.474
  #4 Mike Wallace, NEXTEL Cup, 185.791
  #5 Mike Skinner, Craftsman Truck, 181.414
  #22 Bill Lester, Craftsman Truck, 179
  #38 Brandon Whitt, Craftsman Truck, 178.723
  #12 Robert Huffman, Craftsman Truck, 178.666

March 9, 2005

• Newman Fastest in NASCAR Testing at AMS: The garages at Atlanta Motor Speedway were crowded Tuesday as 14 NASCAR teams prepared for the new tires, new impound rules and new spoiler heights that will be in effect for the March 18-20 Golden Corral 500. NASCAR Nextel Cup drivers Carl Edwards, Jeff Green, Kevin Harvick, Matt Kenseth (testing a Busch car), Travis Kvapil, Bobby Labonte, Jason Leffler, Jeremy Mayfield, Ryan Newman, Scott Riggs and Scott Wimmer; Busch drivers Brandon Miller and Denny Hamlin; and Craftsman Truck driver Jack Sprague all tested Tuesday at NASCAR's fastest track.  As expected, four-time Atlanta pole winner Ryan Newman was fastest again on Tuesday, topping the unofficial speed chart with a lap of 29.57 seconds (187.487 mph).  "The car feels good, the same as yesterday," Newman said. "Atlanta is a good track to test many different things, so we're working on car balance, the new tires, and the aero package." (NASCAR)

• Jr. and Waltrip Bloopers Online: Domino's Pizza, the recognized world leader in pizza delivery and the "Official Pizza of NASCAR," today made available the outtakes and bloopers from its new Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Michael Waltrip commercial on http://www.dominos.com/. "Domino's knows NASCAR fans love behind-the-scenes access to their favorite drivers," said Ken Calwell, chief marketing officer, Domino's Pizza. "And we're happy to give fans the rare sneak peek they crave."  The new commercial stars the talent of the two Daytona-winning drivers with the Domino's star, the delivery driver. Waltrip and Earnhardt engage in some friendly banter when the delivery driver shows up to deliver a pizza to "Mr. NASCAR." The duo created some hilarious moments during the shoot and neither driver seemed to mind the numerous takes before wrapping for the day. The commercial will air during race times on Saturdays and Sundays throughout the race season.

• Vegas Betting: For Sunday's UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 at the Speedway, however, Las Vegas betting shops have rolled out an extensive menu of wagering options, including head-to-head matchups, various over/under bets and a selection of propositions worthy of a major event on the sports calendar.  The amount of money bet on those propositions now easily exceeds the amount bet on individual drivers to win the race outright, says Micah Roberts, the sports book director at Palace Station.  But Roberts said he has seen a sharp increase in the handle each year, which has prompted oddsmakers to expand the number of betting options on auto races -- especially the big NASCAR race in Las Vegas, which is the most heavily bet race in local sports books, having surpassed the Daytona 500.  "They want more options than just betting the winner, and the props are a reflection of that demand," Roberts said. The margin of victory over/under for Sunday's race has been set at 1.522 seconds at Stations, with a slight premium on the under.  (Las Vegas Sun) More Information on odds can be found inside.

• Home Depot and Tony Stewart Ad Campaign: he Home Depot will launch a new ad campaign centered on its sponsorship of Nascar driver Tony Stewart and the No. 20 Home Depot Chevrolet, the company said.  The first 30-second television commercial will air March 13 during the UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 in Las Vegas and will play throughout the racing season. Independent Dallas shop The Richards Group created the ad.  The spot, titled "Port-o-Pot," features Stewart, his crew chief, Greg Zipadelli, and other members of the race team. The owner of the team, Joe Gibbs, also appears in the ad. The work depicts Stewart using a trackside portable toilet and finding that it has been remodeled into a luxurious bathroom with a shower, two sinks, decorative light fixtures and tile floor. The ad ends with the statement, "Whether it's Nascar or home improvement, the difference is know-how." (AD Week)

• Pepsi Gordon Can: Pepsi is producing one million ''Drive for Five'' cans in tribute to Jeff Gordon's bid for a fifth Cup championship this season. Pepsi is an associate sponsor of Gordon's cars. The collector's edition cans will be available exclusively at Wal-Mart.

• Marlin in Bristol Testing: Sometimes even veteran drivers experience something new.  With snow flurries swirling, Sterling Marlin turned laps in his Dodge Charger at Bristol Motor Speedway on Tuesday afternoon to prepare for April’s NASCAR race. For the first time in his 29-year NASCAR career, Marlin tested the settings on his car in the snow. "It takes a lap or two for the tires to come in," Marlin said about driving in the freezing temperatures. "When it’s 25 degrees, it takes a little time to get some heat in the tires to get some more grip. After three or four laps, you are back where you normally are." (Bristol Courier)

• Triple Duty for Spencer: Jimmy Spencer will triple his chances of heading to Victory Lane during next weekend’s Golden Corral 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, since he will be competing in all three of the NASCAR series races.  Spencer will begin his weekend on Friday, March 18, with the World Financial Group 200. He has returned full-time this season to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, where he is concentrating on trying to win a championship with his No. 2 Team ASE Dodge.   On Saturday, March 19, Spencer will take over Michael Waltrip’s No. 98 Busch Series car to compete in the Aaron’s 312. By Sunday, when Spencer plans to run the No. 50 Arnold Motorsports Dodge in the Golden Corral 500 NEXTEL Cup race, he’ll have every bump in the fast track memorized. (AMS)

March 8, 2005

• NASCAR Hires Kerry/Edwards PR: NASCAR announced the hiring of Marcus Jadotte to manage NASCAR’s national media outreach efforts. Jadotte will be based in NASCAR’s Daytona Beach headquarters and will be responsible for strategic planning and execution of all media outreach efforts nationally. “Marcus’ experience on the national stage along with his leadership ability is going to be a great asset for all of NASCAR,” said NASCAR Vice President of Corporate Communications Jim Hunter. Most recently, Marcus worked for the Kerry-Edwards 2004 Campaign as the Deputy Campaign Manager. Prior to the campaign, Marcus was the Chief of Staff for the United States House of Representatives, Office of Congressman Peter Deutsch. Marcus brings with him over ten years of communications/political experience and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Economics from Florida State University.(NASCAR PR)

• Bristol Fans Looking for Help: We have several NASCAR sponsors we are working with for the race this year. These sponsors are looking for outgoing, dependable and enthusiastic individuals to represent them with jobs from VIP hostess to souvenir assistance. These sponsors include Roush Racing, GM, Crown Royal, Tylenol and others. Dates are April 1-3. Pay ranges from $12-$15 hour, and the hours vary depending on sponsor. To be considered you can e-mail us at info@talentpoolinc.com or call our office at 704-567-9911. (TriCities)

• NEXTEL Driver and Tylenol: Johnson & Johnson has signed endorsement deals with seven Nextel Cup drivers to promote the launch of Tylenol's Extra Strength Rapid Release Gels, Street & Smiths's SportsBusiness Journal reports. Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Jarrett, Kevin Harvick, Matt Kenseth and Elliott Sadler make up Team Tylenol. The campaign will include television ads during race broadcasts and sponsorship at 11 tracks. Earnhardt Jr. and Gordon are scheduled to be featured on packages of the product sold during the third quarter of the year. (NASCAR Scene)

• Hamilton Jr. to Driver for BHR in future: In the old days race drivers tinkered with their greasy contraptions under a shade tree in the back yard.  Welcome to Bobby Hamilton's $1.8 million shade tree.  It is here that Hamilton crafts the Dodge pickups that carried him to last year's NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship and to last month's thrilling Daytona victory. 'I'm pretty proud of this place and what all we've accomplished,'' Hamilton said during a recent tour of the gleaming complex located off Industrial Drive. ''You feel good any time you build something from scratch and watch it grow and become successful.''  Bobby Hamilton Racing is a sprawling, 56,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art racing complex built by the Nashville native who lives a few minutes down the road.  I've got hundreds of trophies from the early days stored at home,'' Hamilton said. ''Eventually I plan to bring them all here and fill an entire wall with the stuff that Little Bobby and I have collected over the years.'''Little Bobby'' is Bobby Hamilton Jr., Hamilton's 27-year-old son who is in his first full season in Nextel Cup. Sometime in the future Hamilton hopes to expand his team into the Nextel Cup Series, with his son doing the driving. (Tennessean)

• More on NASCAR and Native American Tribal Discussions: With a plan to build what would be the state's largest casino already in the works, the Cowlitz Indian Tribe is now setting its sights on bringing a NASCAR speedway to southwest Washington.  "This is all still very preliminary," tribal spokesman Dave Barnett said. "But we hope that one day, we can make a proposal that makes sense to the tribe, the state and to NASCAR."  Although still early in the process, Barnett said, the tribe's idea is to have the Cowlitz help finance an ISC-owned racetrack on non-reservation land upon which local communities and the state could garner tax revenue.  The project also could help to create jobs and draw business to the economically depressed region, he said.  The Cowlitz -- currently a landless tribe -- now has an application to take land into trust for a tribal reservation pending before the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs. The 3,000-member tribe, which gained federal recognition in 2000, expects that approval process to take about 18 months, Barnett said.  Once approved, the tribe could then begin developing its casino -- a project the tribe is undertaking with financial backing from the Mohegan Tribe of Connecticut, which now operates two of the world's largest and most successful casinos. (Seattle Post)

• Microsoft and Ganassi: ePartners (www.epartnersolutions.com), the leading global Microsoft Business Solutions (MBS) consultancy, announces today at Microsoft Convergence 2005 that it has been chosen to implement MBS for Chip Ganassi Racing, a privately-owned racing team competing on the NASCAR, IndyCar and Grand AM circuits. 'Using our Envisioned Business Solution, we've created a cohesive, fully-integrated solution that will provide Chip Ganassi Racing with the tools to run their business operations with as much speed and precision as their cars,' says Dan Duffy, CEO of ePartners. 'The improved efficiency and reporting will allow them to effectively manage costs, provide excellent service to sponsors and fans, and proactively make decisions.' With multiple systems in place at two different locations, Chip Ganassi Racing was looking for a cohesive solution that efficiently tied all of their operations together. ePartners developed a solution that connects all of their processes - from accounting, to the shop floor, to retail operations, to sponsorship and sales management. (dBusiness)

• Vegas Race expected to Increase 5%: With the city racing to top last year's record-breaking year, the effort will get a huge boost when the National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) drives through town with three events this weekend.  As the only Las Vegas stop on the NASCAR circuit, the wildly popular sport is expected to bring in about 150,000 fans this year according to the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, topping last year's total of 142,600 attendees by 5.2 percent. As Nevada's largest single sporting event, the three races drew 142,600 attendees last year consisting of both visitors and locals who dropped $85.4 million into the local economy, excluding gaming.  (Las Vegas Business)

• Ernie Irvan Joins Brain Injury Assoc.: NASCAR racing legend Ernie Irvan will join The Brain Injury Association (BIA) of Michigan for a major announcement at its annual Legacy Dinner on March 13, 2005 at St. John's Golf & Conference Center in Plymouth. The sold- out event, now in its 7th year, honors outstanding achievement in brain injury awareness, prevention and treatment. "Ernie's announcement will have a direct impact on the growing epidemic of preventable traumatic brain injury in the United States," said Michael F. Dabbs, President of the BIA of Michigan. "Led by Ernie's desire to make a difference, this event will have the same impact on the legions of NASCAR fans across Michigan as a Super Bowl or Final Four."  Irvan was at the top of the NASCAR standings competing fiercely with Dale Earnhardt for the points championship in 1994 when he sustained life- threatening injuries in a horrific crash at Michigan International Speedway (MIS). Irvan triumphantly returned to the NASCAR circuit after the crash only to suffer a career-ending traumatic brain injury in a crash at the same racetrack exactly five years to the day after the 1994 incident. (Auto Spectator)

• Testing at Kentucky: Evernham Motorsports will be testing tomorrow Wednesday at Kentucky Speedway.  From 9:00am - 5:00pm subject to change. (Kentucky Speedway PR)

• Drivers Testing in Atlanta: “Rocketman” Ryan Newman has four straight pole positions at the fastest track in the NASCAR, but Atlanta Motor Speedway’s fastest man didn’t have speed on his mind during Monday’s test at Atlanta Motor Speedway.  Newman was in Atlanta for the first day of a two-day test for the March 18-20 Golden Corral 500. Also testing were Scott Wimmer, Travis Kvapil, Jason Leffler and Busch driver Brandon Miller. “It’s a really good track for us as far as the pole goes,” Newman said. “We’re good here for parts of the race, but not the whole race, so that’s what we’re working on. We’re working on long runs, tires, set-ups, and reliability.” (AMS PR)

March 7, 2005

• NASCAR Denies Cup Race in Mexico: Managing director of NASCAR International Robbie Weiss, one of the driving forces behind the sanctioning body's historic foray into Mexico, said he hoped the Busch Series would return to Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in 2006.  Sanctioning agreements have long been made between NASCAR and the tracks on a year-to-year basis, and Weiss admitted that since his last name isn't France, he doesn't make schedule decisions.  But he sounded positive about a return to Mexico next season. "I would like to think from having a successful, a safe event, a very well promoted event, I would like to think we'll be back next season," Weiss said.  Weiss also went a step further, saying "This could become the marquee event for (the Busch) Series." (NASCAR)

• Robby Godon and Brad Parrott Incident Investigated: Some of the most heated action in the Telcel Motorola Mexico 200 took place before the race even started as Robby Gordon and Brad Parrott, the crew chief for Carl Edwards, scuffled minutes before the event on Sunday. Witnesses said that Parrott said something to Gordon before driver introductions. Gordon apparently turned away but not before Parrott supposedly gave Gordon a quick knee to the groin. Gordon responded by grabbing Parrott's neck and prepared to throw a punch before onlookers broke up the fight. "I don't know exactly what happened," Edwards said. "When I came onto the scene, Robby was roughing my crew chief up a little bit, so I just stopped Robby from doing that. I really didn't know what the situation was. That's all there was, and I was just trying to stop that from happening." NASCAR Vice President Jim Hunter said the sanctioning body would investigate the incident. (Herald Today)

• Homestead to End Season Finale in Light: Homestead-Miami Speedway is looking to go under the lights. Curtis Grey, president of the track, said nothing is final yet but the process is moving forward and, so far, everything has been positive.  "We're still working through that approval process," Grey said. "But we haven't heard anything negative."The Homestead Air Force base has given their approval to the lights. The city of Homestead is looking to add an additional substation "to give us more electricity," Grey said.Currently, the Ford Championship Weekend in November has no start time listed. Final approval to move the Nextel Cup, Busch and Craftsman series season finales under the lights will rest with NASCAR in Daytona and NBC, the series broadcast partner at that time of year. Fox broadcasts the first half of the schedule. (Sun Sentinel)

• NASCAR On ABC World News: Lowe's Chevrolet Driver Adrian Ferandez and the Lowe's Busch Series Chevrolet will be part of ABC World New Tonight's With Peter Jenning story Monday on NASCAR in Mexico City. The telecast airs at 6:30pm/et on your local ABC affiliate.

• Hernandez Joins Waste Management Racing: Jesus Hernandez will represent Waste Management, Inc. (NYSE: WMI) as the newest member of its NASCAR racing team. The 23-year old Fresno, Calif. resident will drive the No. 17 Waste Management Ford in the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series for Belnavis Racing in the Drive for Diversity program for the 2005 season. Hernandez joins Matt Kenseth and Bill Lester to complete Team Waste Management Racing.Waste Management will support Hernandez through the Drive for Diversity program in 2005. Drive for Diversity, which is recognized as NASCAR's leading on-track diversity initiative, is a diverse driver and crew member development program created and managed by Access Marketing & Communications. It is this program that has given drivers like Hernandez the chance to live out a dream. Like NASCAR, Waste Management is committed to being an organization that not only embraces diversity and inclusion, but reflects that commitment through its employees and customers. (NASCAR)

• Cup To Mexico? Pocono To lose date in 2006? NASCAR execs are justifiably ecstatic over this sport's Mexico City debut, and they're wasting no time planning ahead. The international calendar for stock-car racing for the 2006 season is taking shape, and this is a possible scenario, according to NASCAR sources: •  This Mexico City weekend becomes a full Cup race, probably Sunday March 5, 2006.• The June Pocono Cup race is killed, replaced by the Watkins Glen Cup race, currently held in early August.• On the newly opened August 2006 weekend, the Busch series - with any interested Cup stars - will run in Montreal on the Gilles Villeneuve Formula One course on the island of Notre Dame, in the heart of the city of 3.5 million. (Winston Salem Journal)

• Mark Martin Site Up: Mark Martin’s“Salute to You” Tour, which roared to life on the track with back-to-back top-10 finishes in the first two races of the season, has come to life on the Internet. The official Web site of Mark Martin’s “Salute to You” Tour is now online at www.markmartinsalute.com. Featuring race news, vintage photos, a career timeline, exclusive merchandise and more, the site celebrates the career of one of NASCAR’s most beloved drivers, who retires from full-time Nextel Cup competition this year. Martin himself delivers a special video message to visitors when they arrive at the site. The site will serve as the new home of the official Mark Martin fan club. Current fan club members can use their existing fan club log in name and password to access the “Salute to You” site. Fan club membership is free by registering at www.roushracing.com.(Roush Racing PR)

• Burton wants better car; Roush engineer joins RCR: Burton wants better cars: The work of Jeff Burton's pit crew helped his No. 31 gain 18 positions over seven stops at California, but going into Las Vegas, he doesn't believe his Monte Carlos are up to speed. "Pit crews can't be winning races," Burton says. "We've got to get better cars." The cars are sure to improve after Burton is reunited with former Roush senior engineer Nick Ollila, who joined Richard Childress Racing last week. Off the track, despite having a week away from racing, Burton was anything but idle. In a little more than a week, he shot a commercial for Cingular, made appearances for Chevrolet and Coke and had a cameo role on the WB's One Tree Hill.(FoxSports)